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Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
Published on: May 31, 2021
Recent Advances of Basophils in Pruritic Skin Diseases
Wenhui Liu1, Rui Xu1, Fang Wang1
1Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Basophils are a rare type of granulocyte in peripheral blood. Owing to their accessibility in circulation and similarities to mast cells, basophils were considered a tool to gain insight into the function of mast cells. However, recent studies have uncovered that basophils have unique biology, specifically in activation, recruitment, and potential biomarkers. Accordingly, some previously unrecognized functions, particularly in neuroimmunology, have been found, suggesting a role of basophils in inflammatory and pruritic disorders. In this review, we aim to present an overview of basophil biology to show how basophils contribute to certain pruritic skin diseases.
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